Clearly Payments

Clearly Payments Clearly Payments is a top payment processor in Canada and offers some of the lowest-cost payment processing.

It's a full credit card processing solution including online payments, credit card machines, recurring payments, invoicing, and more. Clearly Payments is a top payment processor in Canada. It provides low-cost credit card processing services and software for online payments, credit card machines, point-of-sale terminals (POS), a payment gateway, mobile payments, and recurring billing and invoicing

. Clearly Payments is known for great customer service, low-cost pricing, and a broad set of payment products.

Every business that accepts credit cards pays interchange fees, but most people have no idea what interchange actually i...
06/15/2026

Every business that accepts credit cards pays interchange fees, but most people have no idea what interchange actually is.

What's interesting is that interchange isn't really a processor fee. It's primarily money that flows to the cardholder's bank and helps fund things like fraud protection, credit risk, and rewards programs.

It also creates some interesting economic incentives. The premium travel card that earns free flights and airport lounge access often costs a merchant significantly more to accept than a basic debit card, even if the purchase amount is exactly the same.

I spent some time digging into the mechanics and economics behind interchange fees. It's one of those things that quietly influences how banks compete, how rewards programs are funded, and what businesses ultimately pay to accept cards.

Worth understanding if you're involved in payments, fintech, or run a business that accepts credit cards.



When a customer taps, inserts, or enters a credit card online, the transaction appears almost instantaneous. A receipt is generated, funds begin moving, and the sale is complete. Behind that simple experience, however, exists one of the most sophisticated financial systems ever built. Every card pay...

This article examines the economics of embedded payments, explores typical payment volumes across industries, and models...
06/11/2026

This article examines the economics of embedded payments, explores typical payment volumes across industries, and models how much revenue software companies can potentially generate through integrated payment processing.

Embedded payments creates significant recurring revenue for software companies. Explore revenue models, adoption benchmarks, industry examples, and real-world scenarios.

Every day, millions of online purchases move through a global payments infrastructure that most consumers never see. A c...
06/01/2026

Every day, millions of online purchases move through a global payments infrastructure that most consumers never see. A customer clicks “Buy Now”, receives an approval message within seconds, and assumes the transaction is complete.

In reality, that single payment triggers a complex chain of financial institutions, technology providers, security systems, and regulatory processes that work together to move money safely from one party to another.

For merchants, understanding how these economics work is increasingly important. Payment acceptance is often one of the largest operating expenses associated with e-commerce, yet many businesses only see a single processing fee on their monthly statement.

This report examines the typical economics behind a $100 online credit card transaction in North America and explores where that money actually goes.

This is a break down a typical $100 online transaction and explain how banks, card networks, processors, and fraud systems share the costs.

AI agents are evolving from passive assistants into systems that can autonomously take actions and complete transactions...
05/20/2026

AI agents are evolving from passive assistants into systems that can autonomously take actions and complete transactions. Today’s payment infrastructure was designed for humans and traditional software workflows, not autonomous AI systems.

Future AI agents may need native access to:

• payment APIs

• banking rails

• programmable money

• identity and permission systems

• real-time settlement infrastructure

Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving from a passive assistant into an active participant in the economy. Today, AI systems summarize documents, answer questions, generate code, and automate workflows. The next phase is much larger: AI agents that can independently complete tasks on behalf of....

Merchant churn is one of the biggest factors behind long-term value creation in payments, but it’s often oversimplified....
05/11/2026

Merchant churn is one of the biggest factors behind long-term value creation in payments, but it’s often oversimplified. Not all merchant portfolios are created equal.

A healthcare or legal merchant may stay with the same processor for 10+ years. A restaurant or ecommerce brand might churn within 2 to 3 years, even if it’s growing quickly today.

You can lose a large number of small merchants and still maintain stable revenue. On the flip side, losing a few large accounts can materially impact a portfolio even if overall merchant count looks healthy.

A few findings from the report:

• Merchant churn can vary by more than 5x depending on vertical

• Restaurants often see 25% to 45% annual logo churn

• Some high-risk categories can exceed 50%+ annual churn

• Professional services and healthcare tend to produce the most durable portfolios

• Embedded payments are materially improving retention by increasing switching friction

• Portfolio quality increasingly matters more than raw onboarding growth

Key Takeaways Merchant churn can vary by more than 5x depending on vertical, with professional services below 10% annual logo churn while high-risk ecommerce categories are 50% Restaurants frequently experience 25% to 45% annual logo churn, driven by business failures, POS migrations, ownership turn...

The payments industry has changed dramatically over the last decade. Businesses can now start accepting payments in minu...
05/07/2026

The payments industry has changed dramatically over the last decade.

Businesses can now start accepting payments in minutes, software platforms are embedding financial services directly into their products, and merchants increasingly expect seamless onboarding with minimal paperwork.

This shift has brought significant attention to two common payments models: the traditional ISO model and the newer Payment Facilitator, or PayFac, model.

Learn differences between a payment facilitator (PayFac) and an ISO, including onboarding, underwriting, compliance, risk, and embedded payments. Understand which model is best for SaaS platforms, marketplaces, and merchants.

Most dental clinics are overpaying for payments and don’t realize it.Between insurance splits, large tickets, and a mix ...
04/29/2026

Most dental clinics are overpaying for payments and don’t realize it.

Between insurance splits, large tickets, and a mix of in-person and online payments, dental billing is more complex than most industries, and that usually leads to higher fees and slower cash flow.

We put together a practical guide on how payments actually work in a dental office, what clinics typically pay in Canada, and where there’s room to improve.

Learn how payment processing works for dental clinics in Canada, including fees, POS systems, insurance workflows, and how dentists can reduce costs in 2026.

Many Canadian businesses don't actually know the difference between what they pay for debit vs credit cards.Rough exampl...
04/08/2026

Many Canadian businesses don't actually know the difference between what they pay for debit vs credit cards.

Rough example on a $100 sale:

Debit might cost you a few cents.

Credit might cost you $1.50 to $3.

That gap alone can be the difference between a good margin and a tight one.

We put together a simple breakdown of how debit and credit card fees actually work in Canada and what businesses should pay attention to.

If you run a business, this is worth understanding:

Learn the real difference between debit and credit card processing fees in Canada. See interchange rates, network fees, and how businesses can lower payment costs.

Many businesses assume payment processing rates are fixed. In reality, there is often room to negotiate certain fees, es...
03/11/2026

Many businesses assume payment processing rates are fixed. In reality, there is often room to negotiate certain fees, especially the processor markup.

For companies accepting credit cards, even a small change in rates can make a meaningful difference over time. For example, reducing your effective processing rate by just 0.20% can save:

• $600 per year on $25k/month in card volume

• $2,400 per year on $100k/month

• $6,000 per year on $250k/month

The key is understanding where the fees actually go.

A typical credit card processing fee is made up of three components:

• Interchange fees paid to the issuing bank

• Card network fees paid to Visa or Mastercard

• Processor markup, which is the portion that can often be negotiated

Most merchants are surprised to learn that interchange fees usually make up 70%–90% of the total cost, leaving only a smaller portion controlled by the processor.

Understanding this structure makes it much easier to evaluate pricing and ask the right questions.

We put together a guide explaining:

• How payment processing fees work

• Which fees can actually be negotiated

• Strategies businesses use to lower their rates

Read the full article here:

Payment processing rates are negotiable. Learn how businesses can lower credit card processing fees, negotiate better merchant rates, and avoid hidden costs.

Most companies are still optimizing checkout. But the real shift in commerce is something much bigger:👉 Humans may stop ...
03/02/2026

Most companies are still optimizing checkout. But the real shift in commerce is something much bigger:

👉 Humans may stop being the primary buyers on the internet.

AI agents are quickly moving from recommendation engines to economic actors, systems that can compare vendors, negotiate pricing, and execute payments automatically within defined rules.

This changes how commerce works at a structural level.

Instead of:

Human → Website → Checkout → Payment

We’re moving toward:

AI Agent → API → Authorization → Settlement

Commerce becomes continuous optimization rather than individual purchasing decisions.

Article:

AI agents are transforming commerce and payments. Explore how autonomous purchasing and automated payments reshape the future of commerce.

Address

620/1155 WEST PENDER Street
Vancouver, BC
V6E2P4

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Clearly Payments posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Clearly Payments:

Shortcuts

Share

Category